CANADIAN UNITARIANS WELCOMING REFUGEES. Presentation to UU-UNO spring seminar April 2018 Vyda Ng Canadian Unitarian Council

Transcription

1 CANADIAN UNITARIANS WELCOMING REFUGEES Presentation to UU-UNO spring seminar April 2018 Vyda Ng Canadian Unitarian Council

2 Canadian sponsorship system Canada: allows private sponsorships of refugees Ways for private citizens to be involved: Sponsorship Agreement Holders Groups of Five Community Sponsors Welcomed over 25,000 Syrian refugees between Sep 2015 Feb 2016 Plan to welcome 18,000 privately sponsored refugees in 2018 Cap in place until 2020 to deal with backlog Canadian Unitarian Council 2

3 Canadian sponsorship system Sponsorship Agreement Holders: incorporated organizations that have signed an agreement with the Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Canada to resettle refugees Be incorporated / registered Have the financial capacity Understand and uphold the objectives of the Private Sponsorship of Refugees program Have a strong volunteer base Pass a security review Can authorize other groups to sponsor refugees under their agreement, called Constituent Groups 81 SAHs in Canada, & represent over 85% refugee sponsors 3

4 Canadian sponsorship system Sponsorship Agreement Holders responsibilities: Pre-screen application for eligibility Basic financial support & care for up to 2 years Selection & authorization of Constituent Group Ensure CG has resources & ability to carry out responsibilities Remain liable Be well informed about sponsorship process & responsibilities Provide advice, support, information to its CGs Monitor CGs Annual report to Immigration, Refugee & Citizenship Canada 4

5 Canadian sponsorship system Groups of Five: five Canadian citizens or permanent residents get together to sponsor refugee/s Can only sponsor refugees formally recognized as refugee in country of asylum & have documentation (eg UNHCR letter) Over 18 years Prove they have financial & human resources to support refugees Commit to financial & emotional support, & settlement process for up to 2 years 5

6 Canadian sponsorship system Community Sponsors: organization, association or corporation; must exist as legal entity Can only sponsor refugees formally recognized as refugee in country of asylum & have documentation (eg UNHCR letter) Prove they have financial & human resources to support refugees Commit to financial & emotional support, & settlement process for up to 2 years Do not have a limit on the number of sponsorship applications that they can submit per year, as long as they can demonstrate financial and settlement capacity 6

7 Hierarchy: sponsorship agreement holders (SAHs) Minister IRCC (Immigration, Refugee & Citizenship Canada) Sponsorship Agreement Holder Sponsorship Agreement Constituent Group (Congregation) Constituent Group (community group) Constituent Group (Congregation) Co-sponsor (family member) 7

8 How much financial support? Canadian Unitarian Council recommends: for one refugee: between $15,000-20,000CAD*; for two people or a couple together: between $25,000-30,000 for a family or group of 4 together: between $35,000-40,000 and $3000 for each additional dependant. *These figures are based on settlement estimates in larger Canadian urban centres 8

9 Working with congregations (Constituent groups) 1 CUC staff person dedicated to refugee sponsorship Liaison between government and congregations; receives & passes on communications Decides on space allocations with Executive Director Helps with filling out applications; checks facts Helps prepare congregation for settlement Provides agreements, information and guidance Shares best practices Maintains connections and supports with congregations Keeps current on changes, updates & news 9

10 Canadian Unitarian congregations & refugees Since 2015: Over 20 congregations engaged in sponsorships Some others working with local community groups 46 congregations in Canada One of smallest groups (16 members) undertaking sponsorship More than half with multiple sponsorships Resettled 284 new Canadians Originating from Syria, Iran, Afghanistan, Iraq, Eritrea, Burundi, Ethiopia, Gambia, Somalia, Pakistan Applications for 32 spaces currently in process for 2018 CUC working directly with several other organizations, eg for LGBTQ sponsorships Capacity of congregations to sponsor far exceed number of spaces allocated 10

11 What does refugee sponsorship & settlement involve? Pre-Arrival Raise funds Identify refugee/s & maintain contact Assemble documents Complete application package Submit application Immigration Canada Application processed by overseas visa post Rent apartment (days before arrival) Assemble furniture, clothing, kitchenware, etc Post Arrival Open bank account, medical card, SIN, etc. Language testing and school registration Orientation (budget, bus, shopping etc.) Language instruction for adults Primary / secondary education for children Day care for preschool Health care for family Job search for adults Social/cultural support 11

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16 It s not all smooth sailing Challenges with: Pre-arrival: long wait times, safety, uncertainty Post-arrival: Isolation: social, emotional, cultural, religious Language Employment Acceptance Daily life transit, groceries, shopping, banking, medical, school Finance Loneliness Grief and loss Sponsorship breakdowns 16

17 Canada s refugee system Application processing system insufficient to deal with demand and backlog (CUC receives dozens of request a week) More funding needed to process previous and current applications Wait time for new claim is average of 20 months Older cases are taking years some up to seven years Backlog is estimated at 43,000 cases Bright spots within the asylum system: Funding for Yazidi women and girls fleeing ISIS s terror remains in place. Will accept 1,845 refugees of 30,000 African asylum claimants that Israel is planning to mass deport. LGBTQ sponsorships do not count towards quota Rainbow Refugee Assistance Program extended 17

18 National, regional & local resources Sponsorship Agreement Holder Council Canadian Council of Refugees Canadian Red Cross New Canadians Centre Faith organizations Community organizations Work together to exchange ideas, share resources, network, support Sponsorship work is possible due to supports and resources provided 18

19 Immigration, Refugee & Citizenship Canada resources Refugee Sponsorship Training Program Settlement Preparation Managing expectations Settlement Service Provider Organizations Important information For new immigrants Government of Canada Benefits Finder The First Year and Beyond Planning for Month 13 Sponsorship breakdowns 19

20 Stories of new connections, hope and success 20

21 Stories of new connections, hope and success Lebanese-born CEO of Paramount Fine Foods gives back Committed to hiring refugees at each of his 36 Canadian locations Covered funeral cost of shooting victims of Quebec mosque in Jan

22 Stories of new connections, hope and success Among congregations and their new Canadians: Shared experiences of family Experience of each others culture, norms, languages & religions Shared meals and traditions Deepening and enriching of relationships Increased understanding of challenges Empathy Employment success Academic and athletic opportunities and scholarships 22

23 Our new Canadians Grand River Unitarian Congregation 23

24 Our new canadians First Unitarian Congregation of Toronto 24

25 Our new Canadians Capital Rainbow Refugee Canadian Unitarian Council 25

26 Our new Canadians 26

27 Our new Canadians Saskatoon, Saskatchewan 27

28 Links to videos 1. Interview with Rev. Fulgence Ndagijimana in June 2016 about his journey and escape from Burundi towards ministry in Canada 2. The Daily Show: episode on refugees in May Hasan Minhaj speaks with Canadian citizens and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau about opening their country's doors to Syrian refugees amid American fears of terrorism / 28

29 Q & A This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA 29